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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23486605">Picture Perfect</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flowerparrish/pseuds/Flowerparrish'>Flowerparrish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Avengers Tower, Happy Ending, Hurt / Comfort, M/M, Miscommunication, Mjolnir - Freeform, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Social Media, snapchat romance, tower fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:48:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23486605</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flowerparrish/pseuds/Flowerparrish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He does also send a picture of a pigeon with the words “little man in a suit.” He posts it to his story, too. It gets 14,000 views.</p><p>Bucky responds, three hours later, with a middle finger – the metal one – raised and the caption, “fuck tourists though for real,” and Clint laughs for five minutes straight.</p><p>The second one is simply Bucky’s absolutely expressionless face, with “pigeons? Really?” underneath his chin.</p><p>Clint considers it a success.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>327</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Picture Perfect</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/estranqer/gifts">estranqer</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For estranqer, thank you so much the prompt for this fic! It was very fun to write, and I really hope you like it. </p><p>Thanks to dr_girlfriend for excellent beta reading! Any remaining mistakes are on me.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>It starts innocuously.</p><p> </p><p>Around the time Clint starts to explore social media as a means of re-engaging with the world, now that he’s a well-known public figure rather than a spy, Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson track down Bucky Barnes and persuade him to come live in Avengers Tower with them all.</p><p> </p><p>Clint is personally of the belief – one he knows Natasha shares, although they haven’t voiced it aloud – that Steve and Sam would never have found Barnes if he hadn’t wanted to be found. So as recalcitrant as Barnes is when he comes to the tower, stubborn and taciturn and sometimes just this side of hostile… Clint knows that some part of him wanted to make this work.</p><p> </p><p>And, hey, it isn’t like Clint has been his best self for the last few years. There was a reason he hadn’t been called in for the shit-show that was SHIELD going down in the first place. Heck, he wasn’t even his best self <em> now. </em></p><p> </p><p>He is getting there, though.</p><p> </p><p>One day, when Clint is tinkering with Snapchat filters on his phone, Barnes sneaks up on him and asks, “What are you doing?” </p><p> </p><p>But Clint is getting better, so he doesn’t get annoyed. Instead, he yelps and drops the phone before demanding, “What the fuck, Barnes, why are you sneaking up on me?”</p><p> </p><p>So, okay, maybe he is a little annoyed. But not with the nosiness so much as the fact that he’s been startled into letting out a distinctly embarrassing sound; he hasn’t ruined the badass part of his reputation yet, and he would like to hold on to that much if he can.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry,” Barnes says. He even sounds sincere when he says it, and he makes brief eye contact with Clint. Leaning over, Barnes picks up the phone and hands it back to Clint. He doesn’t even look at the still-bright screen, and Clint gives him points for respecting Clint’s privacy.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s fine,” Clint tells him, slumping back down into his spot on the couch. In answer to Barnes’ question, he adds, “I’m playing with filters.”</p><p> </p><p>Barnes is quiet for a moment, evidently thinking, before he shrugs. “I don’t know what filters are.”</p><p> </p><p>“C’mere,” Clint says, and maybe he shouldn’t be inviting the scary assassin to sit next to him on the couch… but they <em> are </em> all supposed to be friends now, and Barnes has been here for weeks without murdering anyone, <em> even Steve, </em> and the way Steve hovers over Barnes is driving <em> Clint </em>insane and he doesn’t even have to be around it much.</p><p> </p><p>Barnes hesitates, but after a few moments of deliberation he takes a seat next to Clint, a few inches of space between them as a buffer. Clint isn’t offended; he’s only gotten back to being okay with casual touch recently, and he still has bad days. He can imagine most days are bad days for Barnes right now.</p><p> </p><p>Holding out the phone, he presses his thumb to the screen until filter options appear. He picks one of the buddy ones, and cute bunny ears appear around Bucky’s head and cute puppy ears appear around Clint’s. Clint grins, amused and secretly pleased to have gotten the dog one, and snaps the picture.</p><p> </p><p>He offers the phone to Bucky so he can look closer. “The filters are the ears. There’s also filters that change the saturation and stuff like that.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky studies the photo. “Why?”</p><p> </p><p>Clint shrugs. “Because it’s fun? You just send them to your friends, and if they don’t screenshot the image, it disappears after a few seconds. I think it was originally created for dick pics, and some people still use it for that, but mostly it’s just how friends send each other stupid pictures.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky hands the phone back to Clint. “Who are you sending it to?” he asks.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I dunno. I put some on my story sometimes, because I let a lot of people see my story, but I don’t really send people pictures much. I mostly just take them ‘cause I’m bored.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky frowns a little, but it seems more thoughtful than upset. “So, if I made one, would you send me pictures?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of what?” Clint asks, curious.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky is quiet for a moment, and even when he speaks, his voice is so soft that Clint’s hearing aids can’t pick it up. “I didn’t catch that,” he says, grimacing a little.</p><p> </p><p>“The outside world?” Bucky repeats, voice a little louder but still tentative.</p><p> </p><p>Clint hasn’t <em> forgotten </em>that Bucky is supposed to stay in the tower where he can be monitored until he is cleared by a team of psychologists. But the reminder still makes him angry and sad.</p><p> </p><p>Neither of those emotions are helpful right now, though. “Sure,” Clint says. “But only if you promise to send me dumb pictures in response. It’s no fun sending stuff when you don’t get anything in return.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” Bucky says after a moment. “I can do that.”</p><p> </p><p>Clint and Bucky spend the next hour installing it on Bucky’s phone, picking an inconspicuous username for him – Clint wanted it to be RacoonMan, but that was already taken, and Bucky wanted a random string of numbers and letters, which Clint vetoed – and then sending each other stupid snaps until their top friends are each other. Not that Bucky has any other “friends” yet, but Clint has a ton, so that’s still somewhat significant.</p><p> </p><p>At around the hour mark, they’ve moved on to Clint showing Bucky how to play Mario Kart, finally pleased to have competition with reflexes that can rival his own.</p><p> </p><p>That’s when Steve appears, eyes a little wild around the edges. “Bucky, why didn’t you tell me you were leaving the apartment?” Even though he is clearly upset, his voice is so gentle that Clint wants to wince.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky doesn’t appear bothered. “You were asleep.”</p><p> </p><p>Steve sighs. “You can wake me up, Buck.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky just shrugs and blue shells Clint before tossing the controller aside. “See ya, Barton,” he says, more life and animation in his voice than Clint has heard… well, ever.</p><p> </p><p>“Snap me,” Clint replies, waving over his shoulder before turning off the game and setting the controllers back in their charging spots.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Clint heads out into the city the next day. He doesn’t tackle Brooklyn, doesn’t even really go too far. Instead, he takes a video of walking down the street. It’s New York, so there’s a decent amount of shoving going on and he gets called a few rude names. That should jog Bucky’s memory if nothing else does, and as an added benefit it’ll remind him that the outside world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.</p><p> </p><p>He does also send a picture of a pigeon with the words “little man in a suit.” He posts it to his story, too. It gets 14,000 views.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky responds, three hours later, with a middle finger – the metal one – raised and the caption, “fuck tourists though for real,” and Clint laughs for five minutes straight.</p><p> </p><p>The second one is simply Bucky’s absolutely expressionless face, with “pigeons? Really?” underneath his chin.</p><p> </p><p>Clint considers it a success.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>When their snap streak reaches 30, Clint goes out and buys a fancy cupcake to celebrate. He snaps a picture to Bucky with a “happy anniversary” sticker over it.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky replies instantly. It’s just one eye up close, super intense. His eyelashes are <em> so long. </em></p><p> </p><p>Clint’s distracted by that, and he almost forgets to read the words before the time is up. He manages, just barely, and they say: “u better bring me 1.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky’s gotten much better at text speak in the past month. Clint’s very proud, and fuck all of the things Steve’s giving Bucky (which are all very important and well and good), because Clint’s teaching him <em> modern applicable skills. </em>He’s clearly the best kind of friend.</p><p> </p><p>And, to prove that he’s an amazing friend, he does bring Bucky a cupcake. It’s purple and pink with edible glitter swirled into the frosting. Bucky raises an eyebrow at him but also thanks him for it, and Clint feels nothing at all about it, because that would be weird, right? If his stomach got butterflies at that?</p><p> </p><p>But it’s not weird, because it doesn’t.</p><p> </p><p>(Clint’s very good at lying to himself.)</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The thing is. The thing <em> is. </em></p><p> </p><p>As time goes on, Clint starts to notice things, as he does when he’s paying attention. He’s not called Hawkeye solely because his vision is excellent; he’s also good at putting together the things he sees and extrapolating from those visuals.</p><p> </p><p>He notices the way Steve lights up when Bucky enters a room, the way Bucky has a smile that’s exclusive to Steve and a touch more genuine than any of the smiles he gives anyone else. He notices when Steve brushes against Bucky’s shoulder as he walks by and when Bucky lays his head on Steve’s shoulder during movie night.</p><p> </p><p>So, it doesn’t matter, is the thing, if Clint has feelings or not. Because Bucky and Steve are all kinds of star-crossed and inevitable, and Clint would be a fool to let himself feel anything for Bucky in the face of that.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Clint wakes up sick with the flu one day. He snaps Bucky anyway around his second mug of <em> tea, </em>which is gross specifically because it is not coffee and not for any actual quality it contains.</p><p> </p><p><em> When I die of the plague remember me fondly, </em>it reads, over his miserable, pale face and dark circles under his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Three hours later, there’s a knock at his door. Clint groans from where he’s burrowed in blankets on the couch, hearing aids in because he’s trying to pretend he’s actually listening to Parks and Rec rather than wallowing. “Jarvis?” he says, voice a feeble croak.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, Clint?”</p><p> </p><p>“Let whoever it is in?”</p><p> </p><p>His eyes fall shut again, only opening when there’s a cool hand against his forehead. He opens his eyes, blurry gaze landing first on the metal arm that’s attached to the cool hand – oh, that explains it – and then following it up to Bucky’s face.</p><p> </p><p>His hair is pulled back, and he looks… really nice.</p><p> </p><p>“Am I dreaming?” Clint mumbles.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Bucky says. “Why didn’t you tell anyone you were sick?”</p><p> </p><p>“Huh?”</p><p> </p><p>“Natasha said she didn’t even know. I made Steve go out and get soup. I left it on the counter.”</p><p> </p><p>That’s all too much for Clint to process. So he asks the most important question, which is mostly just a garbled “hunh?” with too many syllables and consonants.</p><p> </p><p>“Shh, just sleep,” Bucky says.</p><p> </p><p>Clint closes his eyes, but blinks them open again when he feels gentle fingers brush against his ears. Bucky takes out his hearing aids, and Clint sighs even as the world goes muffled and soft.</p><p> </p><p>When he wakes up, Bucky is no longer there. His hearing aids are on the table next to him, switched off, and there’s a note next to him that says, in an untidy scrawl, <em> soup in fridge. </em></p><p> </p><p>Clint finds the soup, heats it up along with some coffee – because fuck being hydrated, he wants caffeine – and presses his hot forehead against the cool counter while he waits.</p><p> </p><p>The coffee’s amazing.</p><p> </p><p>The soup is somehow even <em> better. </em></p><p> </p><p>He snaps Bucky when he finishes, a picture of the empty soup bowl and <em> thanks. </em></p><p> </p><p>He gets back a picture of Bucky’s face, smiling at him in a way that looks painfully real, eyes crinkled just a little at the corners.</p><p> </p><p>Clint’s not firing on all cylinders, so he screenshots it. He abruptly panics, knowing Bucky now got the memo that he did, but then panicking just makes him feel miserable again, so he gives up.</p><p> </p><p>He sets the picture of Bucky smiling as his background. Because he’s already feeling miserable, so he might as well be pathetic, too.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Clint doesn’t see it coming. He can tell there’s something on Bucky’s mind as they’re scrolling through Tony’s incredible movie collection for something to watch. Usually, Bucky’s asking questions about everything that comes up, but today he’s quiet and… moody?</p><p> </p><p>Finally, Clint sets the remote aside and turns to face Bucky head on. “What’s up?”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky won’t meet his eyes. “Nothing.”</p><p> </p><p>Clint scoffs. “C’mon, Bucky, I like to think I can read you pretty well by now. What is it?”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky glowers. Then, all at once, he says, “I can go out soon.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” Clint says, and then he frowns. “That’s… that’s a good thing, though, right?” Wasn’t that what had started this whole thing? Bucky wanting to see the outside world?</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Bucky agrees, and then he sighs heavily, and Clint’s so confused.</p><p> </p><p>“Then why aren’t you happy?”</p><p> </p><p>“Because now I want things I can’t have.”</p><p> </p><p>Clint still doesn’t get it; what the fuck does that nonsense mean? “I’m lost,” he admits. “What don’t you think you can have?”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky finally looks at him, and his eyes are unreadable when he says, “You.”</p><p> </p><p>And Clint? Is so lost.</p><p> </p><p>“But… no, I mean… Steve?” Clint asks weakly.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky huffs a soft laugh and nods. “Figures.”</p><p> </p><p>Which, what?</p><p> </p><p>But then Bucky says, “See ya, Barton,” and vanishes before Clint can pull himself together.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Clint’s not stupid. He does <em> eventually </em>start to figure things out.</p><p> </p><p>The problem he’s having is that Bucky blocks him on everything, all forms of social media and even blocks his <em> texts, </em>and he’s avoiding Clint like the pro he is.</p><p> </p><p>So, Clint’s helpless to fix it.</p><p> </p><p>The worst part is when Steve comes up to him, cheeks a little pink and not making eye contact, and says he’s <em> flattered </em> but he only sees Clint as a friend. Clint laughs, hysterically, and cannot seem to make himself stop. Steve looks panicked, and the words come pouring out of Clint – how he’d thought Bucky and Steve were together, and how now Bucky thinks Clint’s rejected him, apparently because he thinks Clint’s into <em> Steve. </em></p><p> </p><p>Clint finishes spewing the words with, “No homo, bro,” and then, “Well, okay, a lot homo, but not at you.”</p><p> </p><p>Steve is not nearly as behind on pop culture as he pretends to be. As such, he just nods and says, “Same,” and Clint grins.</p><p> </p><p>The grin quickly fades when he remembers everything else, though. “Steve,” he whines. “What do I do? He’s avoiding me. He’s ghosted me like a pro.”</p><p> </p><p>Steve shrugs. “Wait for him to be ready to talk to you?”</p><p> </p><p>“You are absolutely no help,” Clint grumbles, glaring at Steve. “That’s shitty advice. I’m going to go ask Natasha.”</p><p> </p><p>Clint turns to storm away, and Steve calls after him, “She’s just going to laugh at you.”</p><p> </p><p>Fuck him.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Natasha laughs at Clint. She laughs so hard that he eventually just walks away, leaving her to it. So much for best friends.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Thor is <em> much </em>more helpful.</p><p> </p><p>In that he uses Mjolnir to fly, Clint securely held to his side with one strong arm, and hovers them outside of the window to Bucky’s main room.</p><p> </p><p>It’s a good thing Clint’s not afraid of heights or falling, or else this would be pretty scary. As is, it’s kind of fun.</p><p> </p><p>He holds up a cardboard sign that reads, CAN WE TALK PLS, and waits for Bucky to notice them.</p><p> </p><p>It takes about ten minutes, but Thor has the stamina of, well, a god, and Clint’s determined.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky does wander into his main room and he notices them instantly, probably because of the way Mjolnir is still being spun by Thor to keep them steady. Bucky just stares for a few seconds, blinking at them with an adorably confused expression, and then he rolls his eyes and signs, <em> Yes. </em></p><p> </p><p>Clint didn’t know Bucky could sign. Huh.</p><p> </p><p>“Shall I deposit you on the roof so you may make your way to his rooms with haste?” Thor asks.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah,” Clint agrees, patting Thor’s chest. He’s a little dizzy from being so high up, or maybe that’s the adrenaline rush from the danger after all. “Thanks, Thor. You’re my new best friend.”</p><p> </p><p>Thor booms a laugh, chest shaking with it (which is a little terrifying, as they’re actively flying and Clint isn’t <em> scared, </em>but he would prefer to not be dropped). “I am honored, my friend.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>When Clint makes it to Bucky’s suite, Bucky’s got the front door open, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.</p><p> </p><p>He looks <em> good. </em> Like, he always looks good, but Clint almost expected a Bucky that had been avoiding everyone to show some visual signs of wallowing. But he’s clean-shaven and his hair is neatly pulled back. He’s wearing a threadbare hoodie that Clint recognizes as an old one of Steve’s—and, <em> see, </em>these are the kind of things that made him assume they were in a relationship—and jeans with holes in the knees.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you want to talk about?” Bucky asks, and Clint realizes he’s just been staring for a few seconds too long.</p><p> </p><p>In his haste to speak, he blurts out the first words that occur to him: “I’m an idiot.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky nods, like, yeah, duh, what else is new?</p><p> </p><p>Clint scowls at him and says, “No, I mean—I’m not into Steve. I thought <em> you </em>were into Steve. I thought you and Steve were dating.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky looks disgusted. “Steve? Gross. No.”</p><p> </p><p>Clint nods. “Yeah, I get that now. I got that when Steve tried to spare my feelings as he shot me down or something like that. I got that when you blocked me on pretty much every app I could have used to communicate with you.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky grimaces. “I may have been…somewhat dramatic.”</p><p> </p><p>“Nah, that’s actually pretty normal for these kinds of situations,” Clint assures him with a grin. “Made it hard for me to tell you that I like you, too, though.” He runs and a hand through his windswept hair and adds, “I’ve kinda, uh, liked you for a while now.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky tilts his head. “You’re not just being nice, right?”</p><p> </p><p>Clint snorts. “Oh my god, no, you should have seen the way I reacted at even the idea of dating Steve. I’m not nice enough to fake attraction for anyone.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky’s eyes light up. “Security footage?”</p><p> </p><p>Clint’s startled into laughter. “I’ll get Tony to give us the footage if you agree to maybe go on a date with me? When they spring you, of course.” He considers. “Or before, if that’s a risk you want to take, I’m not gonna pretend I don’t make questionable choices all the time.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky smiles, and it’s ridiculously soft and fond. It’s an expression Clint could never have imagined on his face a few months ago.</p><p> </p><p>It’s a <em> thousand </em>times superior to the Steve-smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, okay,” he says. “You can show me all the places you’ve been sending me pictures from.”</p><p> </p><p>Clint raises his eyebrows. “That’s gonna be a lot of dates,” he points out.</p><p> </p><p>Bucky’s smirk is knowing. “I’m counting on it.”</p><p> </p><p>And, well, what can Clint say to that?</p><p> </p><p>Nothing.</p><p> </p><p>Nothing at all.</p><p> </p><p>So instead he kisses Bucky, letting the action speak all the words for him.</p><p> </p><p>When he pulls back, he raises an eyebrow and asks Bucky, “Steve? Really?”</p><p> </p><p>“You check him out sometimes,” Bucky defends.</p><p> </p><p>Clint rolls his eyes. “I check you out more.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good,” Bucky says, and reels Clint back in for another kiss.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>It takes them a full year to hit every spot Clint had snapped, mostly because their dates keep getting interrupted by Avengers missions, and they draw it out by only going to one spot per date.</p><p> </p><p>“What now?” Clint asks, walking down the street holding hands with Bucky and eating an ice cream. Their last official Snapchat date.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ll come up with something,” Bucky promises. “Maybe we can try every pizza place in the city?”</p><p> </p><p>“I love you,” Clint says immediately, and then he winces. “Shit, no, I was gonna say that at a way better time, pretend you didn’t hear—”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky cuts him off by squeezing his hand and speaking over his babbling. “I love you too.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh. That’s okay then,” Clint says. He’s quiet for a moment before he adds, “Can we get pizza now though? Because this ice cream made me hungry.”</p><p> </p><p>Bucky laughs, the sound so happy and fond, and tugs Clint down a side street. “I know just the place.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The End</p>
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